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Arts and Culture

Article / Slideshows

Skip Versailles and Go to These Amazing Castles Near Paris Instead

When Louis XIV summoned the French court to his sumptuous new palace at Versailles in 1682, he certainly didn’t foresee that three centuries later this call would be answered by 10…

Article / Slideshows

What to See in Toronto When You Don't Have Much Time

In Margaret Atwood’s novel Cat’s Eye , a Toronto native reflects on the changing nature of her formerly staid hometown: “Once it was fashionable to say how dull it was. First prize a…

Article / Slideshows

Franconia: Germany's Land of Wine, Wurst, Wagner, and WW2 History

Technically, the region of Franconia in south-central Germany has been part of Bavaria for about 200 years. Locals haven’t quite warmed up to the idea just yet, though. They’ll tell…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Arthur Frommer: Some Little-Known Institutions Bring You a Better London

Why is it that we turn off our minds when we visit London as tourists? A city of profound intellectual pursuits, the British capital offers exciting mental rewards if we simply take…

Article / Slideshows

Escapes from New York: The Best Road Trips from NYC

The city that never sleeps can get tiring, even for visitors. If you need a quick escape from New York , try one of the following road trips. Each is guaranteed to offer a good…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

In New York City, Rapidly Shifting Hotel Prices, Shorter Dining Hours, and More

Every year at this time, I update the book Frommer’s EasyGuide to New York City. This involves spreadsheets of pricing, hours, and more, meaning that I’m easily able to graph the…

Article / Passportable

D.C.’s African American Museum Tests a Change to Its Admissions Policy

The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. is trying out a new admissions practice this month.Each Wednesday in April, visitors can simply walk up…

Article / Arts and Culture

Thinking of Taking a Shopping Tour with a Stylist? Tips and Observations

In Paris, I tested out Airbnb's new Experiences section by engaging two personal shoppers to put some oh la la into my fashion sense. It was a tale of two stylists.

Article / Slideshows

Which Paris Arrondissement is Best to Stay In?

What’s your Paris ? Is it cool little bars and clubs or is it monuments and museums? Is it romance and reverie or is it exploration and adventure? Are you mesmerized by iconic…

Article / Passportable

National Comedy Museum Opening This Summer in New York State

Baseball players have Cooperstown. Rock stars have their own hall of fame in Cleveland. Even androids, when they're not dreaming of electric sheep, can visualize themselves getting…

Article / Slideshows

What to Do in Peru If You Only Have a Week

While no one could ever see all of Peru ’s attractions in one week, you can still hit some of the country's major highlights in that amount of time. With some minimal planning you can…

Article / Passportable

Play the Casanova at New Museum in Venice

Giacomo Casanova belongs to the rare class of historical figures whose names became common nouns. Traitorous World War II-era Norwegian leader Vidkun Quisling and France's lecherous…

Article / Beach & Water Sports

São Tomé: How to Visit the Island at the Center of the World

Empty beaches, a vibrant Euro-African culture, and the best chocolate in the world—what's not to like? Not much, but if you want to see the island of São Tomé,…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The World’s Most Rewarding Source of Free Homestays Is, and Remains, Servas

Organizations come and go that arrange for you to stay free-of-charge in someone else’s home or apartment in the course of your travels. The latest leaders in this effort are…

Article / Arts and Culture

How to See the Drawings of France's Niaux Cave for Yourself

France is rich in prehistoric cave drawings, from the legendary Lascaux tableaus in Dordogne to the rock art of the Pech Merle Cave in Lot, but most are kept closed for preservation.…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Introducing Evaneos, a New Tool Connecting You with Local Planning Help

Planning for vacation is generally done in two ways today. There’s the O.C.D. version, in which the traveler spends weeks poring over the internet, reading guidebooks, putting down…

Article / Slideshows

The Notorious B 'n' B: Infamous Historic Buildings That Are Now Hotels

You can’t blame a building for whatever shady, salacious, or downright gruesome dealings go down there. So why let a little mayhem scratch places off travel itineraries? The opposite…

Article / Slideshows

Where Spain and Portugal Mix: A Galicia Vacation of Wine, Seafood, and Festivals

The Iberian peninsula’s rugged northwest has been divided since 1139, when King Afonso Henriques broke with his Spanish relatives to create Portugal . Eight centuries on, inhabitants…

Article / Passportable

New Looks for Two of London's Most Important Art Museums

Fans of art and architecture already have a lot to keep them busy during stays in London—and with free admission at most of the top cultural institutions, the city's treasures are easy…

Article / Passportable

Paris' Grand Palais Getting a Grand Makeover

The Grand Palais in Paris is getting its largest refurbishment since opening for the Exposition Universelle in 1900, when the mammoth hall on the Champs-Élysées was used to show off…

Article / Local Experiences

A Walking Tour Into Los Angeles' Abandoned Speakeasy Tunnels

A walking tour company in Downtown Los Angeles brings visitors into long-forgotten tunnels once used for bootlegging under city streets.

Article / Passportable

The South of France Is Getting a New Picasso Museum

A former convent in the southern French city of Aix-en-Provence is being transformed into a museum to house a trove of works by Pablo Picasso. The driving force behind the project is…

Article / Slideshows

Look at How Different Shanghai Disneyland Is from Other Disney Parks

Shanghai Disneyland may be the sixth Disney resort to be built worldwide, but it's the first of its kind. For one, this resort, which opened in the summer of 2016, is in a size…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Arthur Frommer: My Choices for the 10 Most Memorable Destinations

As a professional travel writer, I was required to travel to far more destinations than the average American does. In my youthful years, I literally lived on an airplane, in constant…

Article / Slideshows

Auch: Foie Gras and Brandy in the Corner of France the French Love

When the French feel nostalgia for the France of a bygone era, they dream of Gascony . This is a bucolic Southwest region bordering Spain, with silky green rolling hills, country…